The Hollywoodbets Sharks are officially done with excuses. After enduring a punishing and transformative pre-season block in Durban, Springbok tighthead prop Vincent Koch has made it clear that the franchise is entirely aligned on one singular mission for the upcoming United Rugby Championship (URC) campaign: winning trophies.
While the Sharks have boasted star-studded rosters in recent seasons, consistency has often eluded the Kings Park outfit. However, following a rigorous training block under the Durban sun, Koch believes the foundational work has finally been laid to turn potential into tangible silverware.
“We’ve had a really good pre-season. It’s been tough, but I think the boys really stuck into this pre-season,” Koch said on Thursday. “If you look at the conditioning side, we’ve really built a squad that is fit, strong and is going to be physical."
The Sharks' coaching staff have made no secret of their desire to play a brand of rugby that marries traditional South African front-foot dominance with a modern, high-tempo game. According to Koch, the intense conditioning block was specifically engineered to ensure the squad can sustain that relentless intensity for a full 80 minutes.
“It’s been a great pre-season. We worked hard, but I think everyone is aligned with what is expected of us for the season,” the double World Cup winner explained.
“Our focus is winning trophies this year, to compete for trophies. I know that is a little bit of a cliché – of course, every season has to be like that – but we’ve set ourselves goals around that, and I think we are ready to take on the season.”
For Koch personally, this training block has provided a refreshing change of pace. Since joining the Durban franchise in 2023, the veteran prop’s schedule has been heavily dominated by the Springboks' demanding international calendar.
Having the opportunity to undergo his first full, uninterrupted pre-season in Durban has given him a completely different perspective on the squad's growth and his own role within the team.
“I’ve been away for the last three years, but it was awesome being involved with the boys, to help the young guys as well and just get a proper pre-season,” Koch admitted. “If I look back at where we started in the pre-season and where we are as a group now, we’re a lot fitter and closer as a group as well."
Now fully integrated into the setup and feeling physically primed, the 36-year-old is ready to embrace a dual role this season—anchoring the Sharks' scrum while mentoring the next wave of front-row talent emerging through the Hollywoodbets Kings Park pipelines.
“For me personally, I’m ready for the season. My role is to play the best rugby I can play and serve the team as best as I can, whether that is helping the youngsters coming through or performing on the field.
"All my focus is on the Sharks at the moment, just to see how I can help them be successful this season.”
With the talk done and the conditioning in the bank, Koch and the Sharks are primed to prove that this season's ambitions are far more than just pre-season rhetoric.